Safety attachment for elevators



(No Model.) 2 Sheets- 8116281; 1.

L. SENIOR.

. SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR ELEVATORS.

No. 367,450. Pate iii immwn Inva z (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L.SENIORL SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR ELEVATORS.

Patented Aug. 2, I887.

N. PETERS. P h )Lithognphor. Walhiniorx n.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

LUKE SEN IOE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SAFETY ATTACH M ENT FOR ELEVATO RS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,!50, dated August2, 1887.

Application filed July 17, 1886. Serial No. 208,235. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, LUKE SENIOR, a citizen of the United States, residingat Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Safety Attachments for Elevators;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to safety attachments for elevators, and is animprovement on the device patented to me and Otto O. Berchtold April 6,1886, No. 339,484.

In said patent is described and claimed an attachment for elevatorssecured to the edge of the platform and connected with the shiftingcable in such manner that when the attachment is depressedas by the footof a passenger or an article of merchandisetile connecting mechanismengages the shifting cable and the elevator speedily stops.

The present invention eomprehends improvements on the mechanism by whichthis result is accomplished, as well as additional safety attachmentsconnected with other parts of the elevator, which materially diminishthe liability to accident and promote safety in its operation.

To this end the invention consists in the construction and combinationof parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of anelevator-platform and a hatchway in a floor carrying my safetyattachments. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the mechanism inside theplatform, with the ends of the platform reversed so as to show theconnections with the locking-lever. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevationof the front section of the platform and the safety mechanism. Fig. 4 isa side elevation, and Fig. 5 a front elevation, of a modified form ofsafety attachment beneath the platform. Fig. 6 is a detail of the clutchand guide-plate for the shifting cable.

Specifically considered, the invention embodies three distinct andseparate attachmentsviz.,the plates A A, the pivoted frame B, and thecord G-each centering through a chain of intermediate mechanism on thedog D,which controls the clutch-lever E, and having the purpose andfunction hereinafter described.

F represents the elevator-platform (shown in Fig. 2) with the topremoved to disclose the inner mechanism. This platform is rabbeted at falong its front and rear top edges, and the plates A A, preferably madeof metal, are adapted to occupy the rabbeted edges. The said plates orbars are normally held slightly above the rabbets or recesses, the plateA by means of lever a, pivoted on the rod a, extending transverselyacross the platform, the inner end of the lever resting beneath the headof the dog D, and the plate A, through the arms a, outside theplat-form, the arm a inside, carrying a counter-weight, a, and connectedwith a pivot-bar, a operating a link, a, which has a pin, a, engagingwith the rear extension of the dog. The arms a and a are rigid with therod a, and the adjustable counter-weight (0 serves as a balance in thechain of mechanism with which it is connected to hold the plate Asuspended above its seat. The side of the platform is necessarilyslotted, as at f, to permit the pin a in the link a to extend through tothe dog and give it the required vertical movement. The pivot-bar a .issupported at about its center on a suitable bracket, f suspended fromthe platform.

The dog D is pivoted on the lever E at (Z, and is provided with a head,d, having a catch, d, adapted to engage a pin or projection, (2, on theside of the platform when all the parts are set for operation.

The lever E is fulcrumed on the side of the platform at e, and ispivotally connected with the clutch G, secured to its lower end. At itsupper end is a spring, 6, attached at its opposite end to a shortstandard, a on the edge of the platform. The clutch G is constructedwith right angled open slots g, the vertical slot 9 having a v shapedform at its inner end,

adapting the clutch to wedge itself on the shifting cable H, upon whichit is designed to act.

I represents a guide-plate for the shifting cable adjustably secured ina slot, 2 in the platform and so located that when the clutch is inworking position the plate Iwill rest between the horizontal arms of theclutch in the slot 9, while the shifting cable passes at right anglesthereto through the slot 9. The clutch G is held in position byguideways i in the platform.

The operation of this attachment is as follows: Suppose while theelevator is ascending a passenger accidentally steps near the edge andrests his foot on either the plate A or A. The mechanism connectingthese plates with the dog and clutch may be so finely and sensitivelyadjusted that a few ounces placed on either plate will lift the dog offthe pin (1, throw the clutch into engagement with the cable, andspeedily stop the elevator. If the weight comes onto the plate A, theoperation is through the lever a, which lifts the head of the dog offthe pin d", when the spring 0 comes instantly into action, drawing thelever E back and forcing the clutch onto the shifting cable. If theweight comes onto the plate A, it depresses the rear end of the dogthrough the,

arms, pivot-bar, and link connecting it therewith, which releases thedog from the pin (1", when the operation of the lever and clutch isrepeated as before. These parts are so constructed and arranged thatwhen the lever is pressed forward by hand the dog automatically locks onpin d", while at the same time the shifting cable is released from thegrasp of the clutch and is free to beoperated by hand. If in loading theelevator an article projects over the edge upon either plate, the platewill be depressed and the clutch will grip the cable, so that theelevator cannot be started till the obstruction is removed.

Attachment B is designed to afford protection and insure safety beneaththe elevator. To this end I provide a light rectangular frame,preferably of metal, and about the size of the platform and consistingof end plates, 1) b, and side rails, b b", with suitable bracesextending from side to side. This frame is pivoted at its center onbrackets or hangers f say eight or ten inches in length, (more or less)a rod, b passing through said brackets serving as the pivot-point of theframe. On one side of the frame, Fig. 2, is a hooked arm, i), rigidlyfixed to the frame and adapted, through its hook, to engage aprojection, (6 on the inner side of the link a", and in front of saidarm is a corresponding arm or standard, 11 which may extend beneath theframe, as shown in Fi 4, and passing through aguideloop,f on the side ofthe platform, rests atits top immediately beneath a lug, d", on the headof dog D. A balance-weight, k, attached to a cord, k, passing over asheave, W, .on the plat form and at its opposite end to the frame,serves to balance the frame and to steady and equalize its movements.

\Vith this attachment at the bottom of the platform there iscorresponding security against accident to that above described andconnected with the top of the platform. If, for example, an obstructionis met in the tie scent of the elevator which comes in contact with andraises the end of the frame I), the

arm Z) will depress the link a and release the dog from the projection(1, when the clutch will instantly fly into action, and, grasping theshifting cable as before, stop the elevator at least by the time thesaid end b has been raised to touch the platform.

It is desired to have the operating mechanism throughout the structureso arranged that the platform will not move more than eight or teninches at most after the dog has been sprung, and as all the severalattachments center on the dog, and in releasing it effect the grippingand fastening of the cable, the result will be the same whicheverattachment is brought into operation, and the elevator will stop withinthe limited distance above specified. If the opposite end, I), beraised, the standard I) will raise the dog, when a like effect willfollow.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a modification of bot-to m attachment tothe platform, in which the frame is divided into two separate sections,the plate 1) moving in guiderods l, pendent from the platform and havinga counterweight, m, passing over sheaves or pulleys n to balance thesection, and the rear plate, I), resting in similar guides with weightsand pulleys, and having a lever, 0, pivoted at 0, and resting at one endon the said plate and at the other on the projection to on the link a.The action thereafter in respect to both sections is the same as abovedescribed.

The part 0 consists in an attachment to he made at the end or side ofthe hatchway, and is designed to prevent accident in case an articleprojects beyond the platform and would otherwise be liable to be caughtbeneath the floor above as the elevator ascends. I provide againstdanger or accident on this account by supporting a rope, c, on twohangers, c" 0 depending, say, six or eight inches (more or less) belowthejoist or floor to which they are attached. The rope is fastened tothe hanger e, and, passing overa pulley, 0 in the hanger 0 is kept tautby a weight, 0, at its end. Another hanger, 0, supports a lever, c",having an eye, 0 in one end, through which the rope 0 passes, knots ortheir equivalents c" on the rope below the eye serving to raise thelever when the rope is drawn up. The opposite end of the lever isadapted to strike any one ofa series of pins, 1", on a rack, 1*,attached to the dog D. It will thus be seen that when the elevatorrises, if an article projects over the edge of the platform sufficientlyto catch on the edge of the hatchway, it will strike the rope c, and therope, being borne up, will quickly depress the. long end of the lever 0which in turn will release the dog and stop the elevator-platform beforeit enters the hatchway. It will depend on the elevation of the articleabove the surface of the platform and its action on the rope whether thelever o strikes one or another of the pins 0*, the rack being providedwith such number of these pins as to be ready for action until thedanger-point has been. passed.

If desired, additional cords or ropes may be arranged in the hangersbetween the cord 0 and the ceiling, so as to catch obstructions that maybe projected over the platform after passing the cord 0.

WVhen the elevator or platform occupies the hatchway and freight isbeing received or dis charged, it is desirable that the clutch should beheld out of engagement with the shifting cable. To this end I provide ametallic piece, S, having its front edges rounded and shaped,substantially as shown, to bear against a pulley, e, on the lever E andhold said lever in a vertical position and the clutch free from thecable, notwithstanding any disengagement of the dog by reason ofpressure upon the plate A or A. The piece S is fixed rigidly at the sideof the hatchway, and is so placed as not to interfere with the mechanismcarried by the platform, with which it has no proper connection. Whenthe platform rises and clears the hatchway, if no weight remains oneither plateA A,

the dog will lock and the elevator continue to rise; but should there beweight resting on one or both of the plates, the moment the lever clearsthe piece S the clutch will grip the shifting cable and the elevatorwill stop.

It is manifest, of course, that in a construction representing so manydetails and elements many changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I have shown and described complete working attachments, and do not deemit necessary to suggest modifications or changes beyond those alreadydescribed.

In case an elevator is constructed to receive freight and passengers ononly one side, with the other sides closed and protected, the safetyattachments herein described may be arranged on one side only, otherwisethey will be arranged according to the sides that are exposed, whethertwo or more.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s

1. In an elevator, a platform, a cable, and mechanism for gripping thecable, in combination with a safety device attached to the platform andconstructed to throw the gripping mechanism into operation when anobstruction is met in the descent of the platform, substantially as setforth.

2. In an elevator, a platform, a cable, and a clutch to engage thecable, in combination with a pivoted safety device attached to thebottom of the platform and connected with the clutch, whereby the clutchis caused to engage the cable and stop the elevator when the safetydevice strikes an obstruction, substantially as set forth.

3. In an elevator, a safety attachment consisting of plates or barsarranged transverselybeneath the platform and in line with its opensides, in combination with mechanism extending to the shifting cable andadapted to engage the same, whereby the upward movement of thecross-plates causes the elevator to be stopped, substantially as setforth.

4. In an elevator, a safety attachment having vertically-movable platesor bars supported on the under side of the platform, in combination withbalancing mechanism connected with said plates, a lever adapted to lockthe shifting cable, and means connected with the movable plates or barsfor operating the lever, substantially as set forth.

5. In an elevator, a platform and a frame having plates or barssupported on its under side, in combination with a shifting cable, aclutch, and rods or links between the plates or bars and clutch to throwit in engagement with the cable, substantially as set forth. 7

6. In an elevator, a platform having vertically-movable plates or barsattached to its bottom, in combination with a shifting cable, anoperating-lever having a clutch for the cable, means for operating theclutch, and a dog to lock the clutch normally out of engagement,substantially as set forth.

7. In an elevator, a safety device arranged on the edge of the hatchway,in combination with a shifting cable, and a clutch on the platform togrip the cable when the safety device is moved, substantially as setforth.

8. In an elevator, a flexible attachment on the edge of the hatchway,having a lever or bar connected therewith, in combination with a cable,and clutch mechanism on the platform operated by the aforesaid lever,substantially as set forth.

9. In an elevator, a shifting cable, and clamping mechanism on theplatform for the cable, in combination with a safety device on the loweredge of the hatchway, and intermediate devices for throwing the clampingmechanism into action, substantially as set forth.

10. In an elevator, a lever having a clutch adapted to lock the shiftingcable, in combination with a device arranged to bear against the leverand hold the clutch out of locking position when the platform occupiesthe hatchway, substantially as set forth.

ll. In an elevator, a shifting cable, and a lever and clutch on theplatform, in combination with a device above the hatchway to bearagainst the lever, substantially as set forth.

LUKE SENIOR.

\Vitnesses:

, H. T. Fisnnn,

\VM. M. MONROE.

IlO

